Research Article
Seed dispersal strategies and the threat of defaunation in a Congo forestBackgroundSeed dispersal plays a critical role in shaping plant communities and maintaining biodiversity in tropical forests. In the Congo Basin, most tree species depend on animals (zoochory) to disperse their seeds, with large vertebrates such as forest elephants and bonobos serving as key dispersers. However, hunting and poaching threaten these animals, potentially triggering cascading effects on forest structure and plant regeneration. This study investigates the extent of animal-mediated seed dispersal in the LuiKotale forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and evaluates how hunting pressure on frugivores may influence tree community composition. Available with subscription or purchase |
Defaunation of Large-Bodied Frugivores Reduces Carbon Storage in a Tropical Forest of Southeast AsiaBackgroundTropical forests are vital for carbon storage, but recent studies suggest that defaunation—the loss of large-bodied seed dispersers due to hunting and habitat fragmentation—can significantly impact this function. While previous research has shown reductions in above-ground carbon storage due to defaunation in South America and Africa, its effects on Southeast Asian forests remain debated. Some scientists argue that the dominance of wind-dispersed Dipterocarpaceae trees in the region buffers against carbon losses from defaunation. This study examines the extent to which defaunation influences carbon storage in a tropical forest in Thailand, where large frugivores such as primates, hornbills, and terrestrial mammals still persist. Available with subscription or purchase |
Using Janzen–Connell to predict the consequences of defaunation and other disturbances of tropical forestsBackgroundThe Janzen–Connell (J–C) model describes how seed dispersal and mortality shape tropical forest diversity. According to the model, seeds that fall close to their parent trees suffer high mortality due to host-specific predators, pathogens, and herbivores. In contrast, seeds dispersed farther away have a better chance of survival. Defaunation, particularly the loss of large-bodied seed dispersers, disrupts this balance by reducing seed dispersal distances. This study applies the J–C model to predict how defaunation and other disturbances affect tree recruitment and forest composition. Available with subscription or purchase |
Defaunation affects carbon storage in tropical forestsBackgroundTropical forests play a critical role in global carbon storage, holding approximately 40% of the Earth's terrestrial carbon. While deforestation, logging, and climate change are well-documented threats to these forests, the impact of defaunation (the loss of large frugivorous animals due to hunting and habitat loss) has been largely overlooked. Many large-seeded hardwood trees rely on large vertebrates for seed dispersal, and their decline could significantly affect forest composition and carbon storage. Open access copy available |
The social and ecological costs of reforestation. Territorialization and industrialization of land use accompany forest transitions in Southeast AsiaBackgroundOpen access copy available |
A forest of dreams: Ontological multiplicity and the fantasies of environmental government in the PhilippinesBackgroundThe southwestern Philippines' Palawan Island has seen an expansion of conservation enclosures coinciding with Indigenous rights recognition. The Palawan people, traditionally swidden agriculturalists, hunters, fishers, and traders, are now a minority in southern municipalities due to migration and socioeconomic changes. Aiming to reconcile conservation with Indigenous territorial rights, the Philippine government has policies that often expect Indigenous values to align with bureaucratically managed conservation areas, like the Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Landscape (MMPL). Open access copy available |
What is the contribution of forest-related income to rural livelihood strategies in the Philippines’ remaining forested landscapes?BackgroundOpen access copy available |
Assessing the effectiveness of the engagement of local people in restoring degraded forest landscapes in leyte and Biliran Provinces, the PhilippinesBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Complementary ecosystem services from multiple land uses highlight the importance of tropical mosaic landscapesBackgroundTropical agricultural landscapes feature a mosaic of diverse land uses, yet the ecosystem service bundles and materials they provide to rural households remain poorly understood. In northeastern Madagascar, shifting cultivation for hillside rice production and agroforests for cash and subsistence crops have largely replaced old-growth forests. The landscape consists of forest fragments, small-scale vanilla agroforests, rice paddies, and subsistence farming plots at various stages of the shifting cultivation cycle. Open access copy available |
A technological biodiversity monitoring toolkit for biocreditsBackgroundOpen access copy available |
